We can always count on the Aussies. Enemies we may be on the cricket and rugby pitches but off thee sporting pitches they are true allies.

See, Remainers? This is what Brexitt is all about. Not an isolated, insular, inward-looking Britain, but a global, connected, outward-looking Britain. It is you Remainers - you Litttle Europeans - who are the insular, inward-looking ones.

Long live the Commonwealth, the envy of the EU! (England and Australia are completely dominating the medals table at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games).

We can always count on the Aussies. Enemies we may be on the cricket and rugby pitches but off thee sporting pitches they are true allies.

See, Remainers? This is what Brexitt is all about. Not an isolated, insular, inward-looking Britain, but a global, connected, outward-looking Britain. It is you Remainers - you Litttle Europeans - who are the insular, inward-looking ones.

Long live the Commonwealth, the envy of the EU! (England and Australia are completely dominating the medals table at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games).

Free trade between the UK and Australia is a good thing, but it still doesn't compensate for trade with the EU. Just look at a world map and tell me that transportation costs won't be higher between the UK and Australia.

Free trade between the UK and Australia is a good thing, but it still doesn't compensate for trade with the EU. Just look at a world map and tell me that transportation costs won't be higher between the UK and Australia.

The UK's trade with the EU is declining year on year. Each year, the EU is becoming less important to the UK for trade.

Probably mostly talent. Some Brits might have skills that Aussies need and vice versa. Beyond that, I'm not aware of much that they can trade efficiently beyond specialized high tech. Transport costs will be too high.

Quote: Originally Posted by Curious Cdn

The more likely scenerio is that Australia wants to sell to you but you have little to offer for the Australians to buy. What an awesome trade agreement.

... for Australia.

That does't matter. It can sometimes happen that country A has something country B needs, country B has something country C needs, and country C has something country A needs. The UK does not necessarily need to reciprocate directly with Australia. However, trade between the two will still be limited.

Why does that not effect British trade with China? China is Britain's third-biggest trading partner.

China has a much larger population so it can sell in bulk. I'm not saying that trade with Australia won't benefit the UK, but just don't think that it will compare to trade with the EU that has a much larger population and sits right next door.

China has a much larger population so it can sell in bulk. I'm not saying that trade with Australia won't benefit the UK, but just don't think that it will compare to trade with the EU that has a much larger population and sits right next door.

As Australian Trade Secretary Steven Ciobo said in December about working towards an Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement: "Europe may be more than 14,000 kilometres away, but technological and transport advancements mean people and goods are now less than a day’s flight from each other and some services can be delivered instantaneously."

But the Australians - like the Canadians and Chinese have - are finding out just how difficult it is to strike a free trade agreement with the EU: The've been striving to commence free trade negotiations with the EU since 2015 and still haven't come up with anything. And then Britain announces it is leaving the EU and then, just like that, gets a free trade deal with Australia. The EU is slow at such matters. Now Britain is leaving the EU it can strike up trade deals around the world with countries that it would like to start trade deals with, rather than having unelected foreigners in Brussels and Strasbourg decide which countries Britain should trade with as part of the EU.

Australia and New Zealand still haven't forgiven their Mother Country for turning her back on them to join what is now the EU in 1973. Their economies suffered as a result. They are now keen to exploit the opportunities and great future that Brexit presents.

Australia and New Zealand still haven't forgiven their Mother Country for turning her back on them to join what is now the EU in 1973. Their economies suffered as a result. They are now keen to exploit the opportunities and great future that Brexit presents.

They compete against you for a lot if that list. There we I'll be no benevolent "Let's bail out Blighty" trade.

Britain imports from, and exports to, more to China than it does to next door neighbours Netherlands and France.

Free trade between any country is good of course, but trade with some countries is more advantageous than with others. Just two among many influencing factors are population and distance. China has a disadvantage over the Netherlands and France in terms of transportation distance but an advantage population-wise. To compare apples and apples, how about comparing trade between the UK and the Netherlands and France and the UK and maybe a Chinese province or prefecture with roughly the same population?

Australia and New Zealand still haven't forgiven their Mother Country for turning her back on them to join what is now the EU in 1973. Their economies suffered as a result. They are now keen to exploit the opportunities and great future that Brexit presents.

You want to encourage trade in tobacco? Hmmm... For the other things, yes I agree. But you see tobacco as a good thing?

Yes you should pursue trade with the world, and that should include the EU.

Quote: Originally Posted by Curious Cdn

They compete against you for a lot if that list. There we I'll be no benevolent "Let's bail out Blighty" trade.

Even if they compete now, free trade might encourage each side to specialize in what they each do best over time.

Quote: Originally Posted by Blackleaf

1) They don't need to bail us out. We're doing fine.

2) No country, including Britain, will surely agree to a trade deal that isn't benevolent and beneficial to it in any way. The whole point of a trade deal is that it's beneficial to you.

Er... no. The whole point is that the overall benefit to both sides outweighs the potential drawbacks to both sides. Otherwise, why would the other side sign it?

As Australian Trade Secretary Steven Ciobo said in December about working towards an Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement: "Europe may be more than 14,000 kilometres away, but technological and transport advancements mean people and goods are now less than a day’s flight from each other and some services can be delivered instantaneously."

Does this mean the Aussies will allow an internet connection to Britain once the trade pact is signed? This is huge!

Free trade between any country is good of course, but trade with some countries is more advantageous than with others. Just two among many influencing factors are population and distance. China has a disadvantage over the Netherlands and France in terms of transportation distance but an advantage population-wise. To compare apples and apples, how about comparing trade between the UK and the Netherlands and France and the UK and maybe a Chinese province or prefecture with roughly the same population?

Distance has never been a big factor in trade. Countries have always traded with far away countries and have done for millennia.

Quote:

You want to encourage trade in tobacco? Hmmm... For the other things, yes I agree. But you see tobacco as a good thing?

What's what with trading tobacco? It's a luxury enjoyed by millions of people around the world. In 2016, Britain exported over £41 million worth of tobacco to Poland alone.

Quote:

Yes you should pursue trade with the world, and that should include the EU.

One reason Britain has left the EU is, like every country in the world bar the EU ones, to strike its own trade deals around the world rather than only being part of EU-wide trade deals with other countries that are made on our behalf by foreigners whether they benefit Britain or not.

Quote:

Er... no. The whole point is that the overall benefit to both sides outweighs the potential drawbacks to both sides. Otherwise, why would the other side sign it?

Britain nor Australia nor any other country would sign up to a trade deal that doesn't benefit it.

Huge trade deal? This is Australia - hardly a world leader in trade. Now if it was with the US or China it would really be something. Currently the UK trades more with Latin America than it does with Australia. More to the point, eight of its top ten trade partners are in the EU. What is going to happen to that?

Free trade between the UK and Australia is a good thing, but it still doesn't compensate for trade with the EU. Just look at a world map and tell me that transportation costs won't be higher between the UK and Australia.

What makes you think there will be a drastic decline in EU trade? There a number of European countries that are not part of the EU but still trade on the continent.

Quote: Originally Posted by Blackleaf

There's nothing propagandistic in being taught that Britain saved the world in WWII. It's the truth.

Not really.You would be speaking German without help from Canada and the US.

Huge trade deal? This is Australia - hardly a world leader in trade. Now if it was with the US or China it would really be something. Currently the UK trades more with Latin America than it does with Australia. More to the point, eight of its top ten trade partners are in the EU. What is going to happen to that?

Nothing , the British companies trading in continental Europe will continue to do so and European companies that trade in Britain will also continue . You guys always miss the point that countries don’t trade with other countries , companies do.